GOP candidate gets in one last stop ahead of debate preparations

Republican presidential hopeful Mitt Romney told about 10,000 people gathered Friday night at a country-themed rally in Daytona Beach that President Barack Obama has reduced the campaign to "petty attacks and silly word games."

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Romney fired up supporters at a joint appearance with running mate Paul Ryan at the Daytona Beach band shell amid thousand of motorcyclists in town for Biketoberfest.

"We're going to champion small business, small business is where jobs come from," said Romney.

Romney spoke about putting teachers, kids and parents first, promising not to cut the military budget, and criticizing the president's handling of Medicare.

"The President is cutting Medicare by $716 billion for current Medicare recipients, to pay for Obamacare- we're going to restore those dollars into Medicare and honor the promises made to our seniors," Romney said.

The administration says the reductions are savings from providers, not beneficiaries. Romney was joined at the outdoor event by running mate Paul Ryan.

Earlier in Virginia, President Barack Obama accused Romney of forgetting his own stances on issues and said the reason is what he called "Romnesia."

In the latest Real Clear Politics average of Florida polls, Romney holds a 2.5 percent lead in Florida, where 29 key electoral votes are up for grabs.

The candidates are stepping off the campaign trail this weekend for debate preparations ahead of Monday's third and final face-off in Boca Raton -- although their running mates will stay on the stump. Vice President Joe Biden is expected a at a 1 p.m. Saturday rally at 60 Orange Street in St. Augustine and Paul Ryan has stops planned in eastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania.

Romney was staying in South Florida to practice, while Obama and top aides headed to Camp David, the presidential retreat in Maryland, to prepare for the foreign policy-focused debate that will take place at Lynn University in Boca Raton..

Ann Romney was in Jacksonville on Friday afternoon reading to children at the and Tony Boselli Youth Life Learning Center, then bringing pizzas to campaign workers at the Beach Boulevard GOP campaign headwaters. She will appear at a rally in Boca Raton on Saturday.

First Lady Michelle Obama will make a campaign stop in Broward County on Monday before joining her husband in Boca Raton that evening.

Obama does have on Florida campaign stop planned in Delray Beach on Tuesday moring before leaving the state.

Copyright 2012 by News4Jax.com. The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

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